- Date
- February 6, 1991, 16:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Dutchtown, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3966XPiper PA-28R-200
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910206001679A
- Case key
- 14895
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane in instrument meteorological conditions and the pilot exceeding the design stress limits of the airplane during the loss of control. Contributing factors were the existing weather conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was inbound to the cape girardeau arpt from the northwest on a heading of about 140 deg, and had received clearance for the ILS approach to runway 10 (inbound course 104 degrees). Radar data revealed that the pilot maintained a 140 deg heading until radar contact was lost about 2 miles south of the localizer course. All radio transmissions were normal. The outboard wing sections separated from the airframe prior to impact. The left wingtip was located farthest from the main wreckage, and was located about 600 feet south of the main impact area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3966X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7535369
- Airframe hours
- 2,569
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Louis H. Sexauer
- Registered owner
- Louis H. Sexauer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 19, 1990 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- COU · Columbia, MO
- Destination
- CGI · Cape Girardeau, MO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- CGI · Cape Girardeau Muni
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 583 total · 83 in this make and model · 478 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CGI, 8 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.